Dr. Kristinn R. Thórisson is Professor of Computer Science at Reykjavik University and Director of the Icelandic Institute for Intelligent Machines. His research focuses on one of AI's most challenging frontiers: general machine intelligence. He is the founder and Managing Director of the Icelandic Institute for Intelligent Machines (IIIM; 2009) and co-founder of the Center for Analysis and Design of Intelligent Agents (CADIA; 2005).
His research challenges traditional narrow AI approaches through a significant departure from conventional machine learning methodologies. Thórisson's most significant contribution is the development of AERA (Autonomous Empirical Reasoning Architecture), a goal-driven self-programming system that demonstrates remarkable autonomous learning capabilities. In the FP-7 funded HUMANOBS project, AERA began with minimal seed knowledge and independently developed the ability to conduct real-time multimodal TV interviews, effectively writing thousands of lines of code autonomously. During his 30+ years of applied and basic AI research, Dr. Thórisson has created and taught AI courses at Columbia University, KTH, and Reykjavik U., and consulted for NASA, British Telecom, HONDA Research Labs.
He has co-founded three AI companies, one of which received funding from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and was selected one of the 10 most innovative startups in the US by Reuters Venture Capital in 2003. Dr. Thórisson has been an advisor on AI to the Prime Minister of Iceland and to the Swedish government. He is a three-time recipient of the Kurzweil Award for his work on general machine intelligence. Dr. Thórisson holds a Ph.D. from MIT.
His research challenges traditional narrow AI approaches through a significant departure from conventional machine learning methodologies. Thórisson's most significant contribution is the development of AERA (Autonomous Empirical Reasoning Architecture), a goal-driven self-programming system that demonstrates remarkable autonomous learning capabilities. In the FP-7 funded HUMANOBS project, AERA began with minimal seed knowledge and independently developed the ability to conduct real-time multimodal TV interviews, effectively writing thousands of lines of code autonomously. During his 30+ years of applied and basic AI research, Dr. Thórisson has created and taught AI courses at Columbia University, KTH, and Reykjavik U., and consulted for NASA, British Telecom, HONDA Research Labs.
He has co-founded three AI companies, one of which received funding from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and was selected one of the 10 most innovative startups in the US by Reuters Venture Capital in 2003. Dr. Thórisson has been an advisor on AI to the Prime Minister of Iceland and to the Swedish government. He is a three-time recipient of the Kurzweil Award for his work on general machine intelligence. Dr. Thórisson holds a Ph.D. from MIT.
